RTA's Paratransit service is committed to providing safe, secure and reliable service. To ensure this level of service, the cooperation and support of customers is critical. That's why RTA has adopted these policies.

Visitor policy

If you are visiting Cuyahoga County, and have been determined eligible by another transit or public agency, then RTA will honor that eligibility while you are here.

Before you arrive, or before you need to use Paratransit service, you need to provide proof of your eligilbility.

You will be able to use RTA's Paratransit service for 21 days during a calendar year.

If you need service beyond 21 days, you will need to apply for local certification.

If you are a resident of Cuyahoga County and are traveling:

Contact RTA for help in notifying your destination city of your ADA certification.

The length of time you are allowed to use the service will be determined by their local policy.

Personal Care Attendants

A Personal Care Attendant (PCA) is someone you may bring with you to assist you with traveling, or with your personal care or activities.

One PCA may ride free when traveling with you. They must get on and off the van with you at the same places and times as you.

To be able to have a PCA ride free with you, you must register with a need for a PCA, as part of the eligibility process.

When scheduling a trip, tell the RTA phone operator that you are traveling with a PCA.

Customer behavior policy

Ensuring the safety of our customers and employees remains our top priority. Any action taken that jeopardizes the safety of our riders and staff will not be tolerated.

Threats, acts of violence, general harassment or sexual harassment are strictly prohibited. These include any physical or verbal action that endangers, harms or injures another rider or RTA employee.

Any act of violence or abusive behavior will result in the immediate suspension of service.

No-show policy

When a Paratransit customer does not show up for a scheduled trip, or cancels a trip with little advance notice, other Paratransit customers' service may be adversely affected.

Customers are expected to be ready for Paratransit trips at the beginning of a 30-minute pickup window. This is usually 10 minutes before and 20 minutes after the scheduled pickup time. Due to the uncertainty of scheduling, customers must remain available for pickup for the entire 30 minutes.

A customer who is either not available, not ready, or refuses to take a scheduled trip within the 30-minute pickup window will be considered a "No-Show" for that trip.

The Paratransit vehicle is required to wait only 5 minutes for a customer when arriving within the 30-minute pickup window. It is critical for the customer to be ready for the trip when the vehicle arrives.

If your Paratransit vehicle fails to arrive within the 30-minute pickup window, contact the Paratransit dispatcher and you will not be assessed a No-Show.

Late cancellation policy

RTA recognizes there may be occasions when a scheduled Paratransit trip needs to be canceled. However, it's important that you notify Paratransit at least 60 minutes prior to your scheduled pickup. This may allow RTA to reroute the assigned vehicle to provide service to another Paratransit customer.

If a customer fails to call at least 60 minutes before a scheduled trip, he/she will be charged with a "Late Cancellation."

Warning and suspension process

RTA has established this warning and suspension process for no-shows and late cancellations.

Any combination of no-shows/late cancellations that constitute an excessive pattern, based on the number and frequency of trips, may result in suspension of service.

After a minimum of 10 booked trips, a warning letter will be issued when the number of no-shows/late cancellations exceeds three, or 15 percent of the booked trips in a 30-day period.

If the number of non-shows/late cancellations exceeds four, or 20 percent in a 30-day period, and a warning letter has already been issued, the rider will be subject to a 7-day suspension of service, beginning 30 days from the date of the suspension letter.

Subsequent violations -- over a one-year period since the first suspension -- will result in the following: a 14-day suspension after 2 violations; a 21-day suspension after 3 violations, and a 30-day suspension after 4 violations,

The no-show threshold will be reset after each suspension.

Appealing suspensions

A customer receiving notification of a suspension may appeal the decision within 10 calendar days of receiving the notification.